Bahareh Bannazadeh, Shahin Heidari, Habib Hadianfard,
Volume 32, Issue 1 (1-2022)
Abstract
Due to the climate change impact, personal thermal comfort (PTC) studies in buildings have been highlighted to reconsider previous results. PTC causes thermal adaptation) physical, physiological, and psychological adaptation (that is the process of acclimatization to different conditions. Thermal comfort is affected by environmental, personal, mental, cognitive, and behavioral criteria. This study was conducted to emphasize the effects of psychological components on PTC in order to improve offices indoor environment quality and reduce energy consumption. In this perspective, cognitive flexibility and resilience have been selected to examine PTC and the ability to accept and choose thermal adaptive strategies based on cognitive characteristics. The research question is: do different cognitive flexibility and resilience level lead to different levels of PTC and conscious/unconscious reaction? To answer this question and calculate comfort temperature, field study was carried out in an office building. The study had two steps: questionnaire and on-site measurements. The questionnaire included an assessment of psychological components, personal components, and thermal responses scales. Environmental components were measured using mobile instruments and the nearest weather station data. A study of 108 participants indicated that cognitive flexibility and resilience had a significant correlation with thermal sensation, thermal comfort, and thermal preferences. So, we can have linear and logistic regression models to predict adaptive behavior, thermal comfort, and thermal preferences based on psychological and personal components. Analysis of comfort temperature using the Griffiths method showed indoor temperature should be 23.7°C for the majority of occupants. We can also be sure that at least two degrees change in indoor temperature is needed to shift occupants’ thermal sensation.
Ashkan Khatibi, Pari Alavi,
Volume 34, Issue 1 (1-2024)
Abstract
In contemporary contexts, optimizing energy consumption and ensuring thermal comfort for occupants in hot and arid climates necessitates prioritizing the shielding of buildings from solar radiation and heat. This study employed simulation techniques utilizing Rhino software, Grasshopper plugin, and Climate Studio plugin to determine the most suitable facade design in terms of energy efficiency, considering the thermal performance of office building facades in Tehran. The investigation evaluated the thermal performance of four facade systems: three variations of double-skin facade (Buffer system, Extract-air system, Twin-face system), and a kinetic facade. Detailed calculations were conducted for heating, cooling, and electrical energy consumption, with results compared using monthly and annual charts. Simulation outcomes indicate that, under constant conditions, the kinetic facade exhibits superior energy efficiency by dynamically adjusting its components, including rotation direction and opening/closing mechanisms, resulting in a 42.3% reduction in energy consumption compared to conventional double-skin facades. Furthermore, the analysis suggests that annual energy consumption, encompassing cooling, heating, and electric lighting, is lower on the southern facade than on the northern facade. Notably, the kinetic facade, with its adaptable design, demonstrates significant performance in energy reduction compared to other facade types, establishing it as the preferred option in this study. Employing intelligent self-adaptive systems, a portion of the facade is configured as a canopy, effectively mitigating building cooling and heating loads by regulating solar radiation, thus enhancing environmental comfort for occupants while minimizing energy loss.
